CAN AN ATHLETIC CUP BE BOTH SAFE AND COMFORTABLE?
Athletic Cup
"A cup that moves around isn't just uncomfortable — it's not protecting you."
The majority of males (15 and older), when asked in a 2015–16 survey what they liked least about their athletic cup, gave the same answer: comfort.
The most common complaints:
Each of these is a comfort issue — but also a safety issue. They can and should be addressed at the same time.
Myth
An athletic cup can't offer good protection and also be really comfortable.
Truth
Yes, it can. But you have to know how to find both.
Yes, size matters
The primary reason males wear an athletic cup is testicle protection. So first, the cup has to fit. Men should not wear a teen-sized groin cup, and an 8-year-old playing baseball should not wear an adult-sized one. Size matters in groin cup protection.
If you are running while wearing a cup, get a shape and design built to allow leg movement while staying comfortable. Avoid one-size-fits-all options — the odds are it will not fit your body perfectly and cannot provide top-notch protection.
The cup has to stay in place
The athletic cup has to stay over your testicles at all times. Many older-style cups perform poorly here.
Consider wearing a compression-type short instead of a jock, and buy a quality cup that goes over it — not inside it. When the cup is inside, it can shift during leg movements. That is a significant safety issue.
Sticking an athletic cup down your shorts is both uncomfortable and lets the cup move around. This is particularly common in martial arts. In MMA, when you lift a leg for a kick, the cup has to stay where it was. Same when catching in baseball. When a male squats, the cup needs to stay put.
An athletic cup that is not firmly attached to the groin area offers poor protection from pain and injury.
Some newer, better-designed cups have adjustable straps — an essential feature. The more adjustable it is, the better it fits your body, and the more comfortable and protective it becomes simultaneously.
Quality is non-negotiable
Don't go cheap on groin protection. A hard hit to the groin can do more than just take you out of the game or ruin your whole day — it can land you at the doctor's office.
As an athlete, the best part of having a well-designed, quality athletic cup and support system is simple: not having to think or worry about it while you play. You can be secure, safe, and comfortable — all at the same time.